Moving-picture apparatus.



e. 32mm, MOVING PICTURE APPARATUS. APPllCATION FILED 14116.4. um.

Patented Jan. 2,1917.

3 $HEETS-SNEEI' 1.

WITNESSES INVENTOR EMAW/ BEI'l'M/l M @ZiW ATTORNEYS s. B'E-TT INI.MOVING PICTURE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-4| 19!!- 1,210,887. Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

3 SIIEETS-SIIEET 2. TH. E. 7 l l I WI WITNESSES 6 INVENTOR Wit/ & 441 iI GlAlI/N/ EETT/Nl BI @11 0. WM? .7 fl'J ATTORNEYS G.-BETT|N|. movmcmcn'ms APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4. 191 I Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR G/AN/V/ BEIT/Al/ ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GIANNI BETTmI, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOBIO BETTINI SYNDICATE, LIMITED,01'

LONDON, ENGLAND, A CORPORATION OF GREAT BRITAIN.

IOVING-PICTI J'RE APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

for projection or for picture taking is displaced with relation to aplate upon which are the images to be projected, or upon which thepictures are to be taken, said plate having and retaining a fixedposition relative to the picture being taken or the screen upon wh ichthey are projected instead of as in the. usual.

apparatus displacing the plate with relation to a fixed optical system.

More particularly my invention relates to apparatus of the abovementioned type, in which the pictures are projected upon or taken from aplane at right angles to the plane of the relatively fixed plate.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus of the specifiedtyne which shall be compact, simple and easilyoperated; and which, byreason of its construction and the use of ordinary photographic platesof small size shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture and tomaintain in operation. 7

My invention will be found particularly useful for amateurs and for homeuse, since the same apparatus may be used for both taking and projectingpictures and since the cost of the plates required is relativelyinconsiderable.

The system is equally applicable to apparatus in which the pictures aretaken on hands of film and on sensitized glass plates or out films suchas are generally employed in photography and when, in .my claims, Ispeak of plates I intend to include films of any kind.

This novel system permits in particular, the manufacture of movingpicture apparatus of comparatively simple construction and of very smallvolume with which the views may be obtained upon plates even of largesize; the same apparatus serves for taking animated pictures and forprojecting. them. Most of the plate machines hitherto devised are basedupon the principle of the wellknown band apparatus, that is to say onthe intermittent displacement of the photographs'in front of a fixedobjective; they present the disadvantage that the rapid displacement ofthe plates'and of all the parts connected therewith, constituting aconsiderable mass, followed by sudden stoppages will produce vibrationsboth longitudinal and transverse of the apparatus and of the plates.These vibrations prevent good results from being obtained andfurthermore make it necessary to construct the apparatus of excessivesize and provide it with complicated mechanism.

\Vith the apparatus which forms the subject matter of the presentinvention it is the optical system of very small weight which alone isdisplaced, the plate remaining stationary during such displacement sothat all the defects enumerated above are avoided.

In the accompanying drawings which represent a preferred embodiment ofmy invention, Figure, 1 is a diagram showing the principle upon whichthe invention is based; Fig. 2 is a general view of the box containingthe mechanism, the cover being omitted; Fig. 3 is a section on the line3-3 in Fig. 2 Figs. 4 and 5 are end views of the box represented inFigs. 2 and 3 from the -right and left hand sides respectively; Fig. 6shows a plate magazine intended to be fitted to the projectionapparatus; Fig. 7 is a section of the plate magazine on the line 77 inFig. 6; Fig. 8 is a detail view of a plate with its plate holder frame;Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 are detail views.

The principle upon which the apparatus is constructed is representeddiagrammatically in Fig. 1 and provides for illuminat ing thephotographs from a fixed source of light B including the usual condenserfor projecting a pencil of parallel luminous rays, the axis of whichwould first of all be parallel with the plane of the plate or band Acarrying the pictures instead of falling perpendicularly upon it as inall other methods of projection. The axis of the luminous penoil is thendirected perpendicularly to the plate or band by means of a prism orother reflecting surface C which would deflect it from the paralleldirection.

By means of an objective D combined with another prism or reflectingsurface E and arranged on the other side of the plate or band the imageis then projected on to a screen F arranged perpendicularly to the planeof the plate or band or in any other plane by employing suitablyarranged supplementary reflecting. surfaces.

In displacing the objective D and the prism E and the reflecting prism Cwith an intermittent synchronous reciprocating movement parallel withthe plate or band A, the focusing is not altered and the photographs ofthe same row upon. said plate will be successively illuminated andprojected upon the screen F. It will thus only be necessary to lower orshift the plate or band A transversely'of the path of movement of theobjective at the end of each travel of the optical system for obtainingthe projection of the next following row of pictures.

During the displacement of the objective D and prisms Eand C, the fieldof exposure or of projection experiences a slight diminution or increaseof size which is imperceptible to the eye, which increase or decreasebeinggradual and exceedingly small becomes confused with the increase ordecrease of size experienced by the objects photographed according asthey approach or recede from the apparatus. In projection this increasetakes place in the reverse sense to what occurs when the pictures aretaken because the smallest image (that which is most distant from thescreen) will be enlarged the most, while the largest image that which isthe closest to the screen) will be less magnified and consequently theincrease of size in projection taking place in the opposite sense towhat occurs when the pictures are taken the projection will beabsolutely fixed even if the difference in size between the imagesshould be very considerable.

In cases where bands of films are employed instead of plates, thesefilms (of suitable size) would have the pictures arranged as on theplates, that is to say, in successive rows and these bands would bearranged in the apparatus on rollers behind the objective as in the casein photographic apparatus of the kodak type.

As a modification of the system comprising the fixed source of light Band refiecting prism C described above any convenient. source of lightof small volume (Nernst lamp of suitable dimensions renderedincandescent, etc.) combined with a small condenser might be employedand without the use of any reflecting prism this arrangement wouldilluminate the views directly and in succession if displacedsynchronously with the objective.

One and the same apparatus based upon the principle described is adaptedwith equal facility for taking animated pictures and for projectingthem. For taking the pictures with the apparatus closed and forming adark chamber it will be sufficient to utilize sensitized plates orfilms; the source of light B and the reflecting prism C would then notbe utilized.

' Both in taking pictures and in projecting them all the movements ofthe optical system would be masked by an appropriately arranged shutter.

As regards the mechanism proper, the apparatus comprises a metal orother suitable box a provided with an intermediate partition or baseplate I) intended to support the mechanism within the box (see Figs.2-5). Bearings c, rigidly connected with this partition, support camscrews d, e of contrary but equal pitch, carrying respectively at one oftheir ends pinions f and 9 (Fig. 2) in mesh with a toothed wheel 72,common to them both which is mounted upon the shaft of a bevel pinion 2'which is in mesh with and controlled by a bevel wheel j (Fig. 3)

keyed to the shaft k of the operating han-- dle m.

A slideway 'n, formed on the base plate b serves as a guide for asliding reciprocating carriage 0 carrying the objective ;0 and the prismor reflector p shown graphically as D and E in Fig. 1. This carriagealso supports a transversely disposed lug, bored out or provided with aslot in which there is mounted a rod 1', the ends of which are adaptedto engage alternately with the cam grooves of the two cam screws 03, e.The carriage o carrying the objective is connected in any suitablemanner as by a band 8 with another carriage t, slidable longitudinallyon rods 2?, and carrying the second prism 3 arranged in front of thesource of light. This band passes over spring boxes at and c, and overrollers w,.in order to insure synchronous displacement of the prism tandthe objective 79. A circular shutter y is revolubly mounted upon alaterally extending lug 0 upon the support 0 of the objective and isprovided with external gear teeth whereby its movement is controlled bythe longitudinal gear teeth on the cam screw e. The bottom of thethreads of the cam screws 0?, e rise at each end of these screws as at wand die away on the outer surface of the respective screws, so that whenthe rod 1' reaches the end 'of the cam in one screw, it is forced out ofengagement therewith and the opposite end-enters the cam of the othercam screw, thereby insuring reciprocating operation of the carriage 0carrying the objective.

Upon the shaft of the cam screw e there is mounted a spiral gear 1 whichmeshes with another spiral gear 2 upon the shaft of which a cam screw 3is mounted in such a way as to enable it to mesh with teeth 6 on a plateholder frame 7 (Figs. 3 and 5). The pitch of the cam screw 3 is the sameas the distance between the teeth 6 of the frame 7 .which is adapted tocarry the plate 8 (Fig. 9). For the purpose hereinafter stated, the

assemblage is mounted to oscillate around the shaft 19 and is acted uponby the spring 20 which is adapted to move the assemblage in onedirection and normally to hold screw 3 out of mesh with teeth 6. Atoothed wheel 21 driven by a toothed pinion 22 rigid with mesh with theteeth 6 at the proper intervals) The relation between the number ofteeth on the gear 21, pinion 22, gear 72. and pinions f and g is suchthat the carriage 0 is driven from one end of its run to the otherduring the intervals of contact of the tappet 23 with the boss 5.

When the tappet 23 contacts with boss 5 the assemblage is rocked about19 against the pull of the spring 20 to throw the cam screw 3 intoengagement with the teeth 6. The continued rotation of the cam screwwhile in mesh with teeth 6 feeds the plate 8, and such feeding continuesuntil the tappet 23 passes off boss 5, thus enabling the spring toretract the assemblage. The tappet and boss are so arranged that theassemblage is retracted after the plate has moved a distancecorresponding to that between successive rows of pictures, thus feedingthe plate one step, or to the next row of pictures.

Each plate 8 is mounted by one of its edges in a frame 7. Each plate isprovided with a notch 24 (Fig. 8) corresponding to a tooth or othersuitable stop 25 arranged in the frame so that the plates can always beplaced in exactly the same position relatively to the frame and thuseach picture be brought into exactly the same position in front of theprojective. Each frame 7 is furnished on its ridge or corner edge withrack teeth 6, as previously described, the distance between whichcorresponds with the height of the pictures on the plate. The plate 8 isadapted to be held in position in the frame by leaf springs 18 (Fig.10). g

The plates and frames are arranged in proper order in a plate magazine,which is represented in Figs. 6 and 7 and comprises a box 9 furnished onits rear face with a door 10 for loading, and provided on one of itsfaces with a suitable number of springs 11 serving to press the plateframes 7 toward a slot 12 through which the plates and frames may beremoved from the magazine. The magazine is placed on the box a in such away that slot 12 registers with slot 15 in casing a. The front face ofbox 9 is provided with one or more slots 13 and one or more tappets 14by means of which the fore most plate may be depressed, at thecommencement of the operation of the machine so that its teeth 6 engagewith the cam screw 3.

As previously set forth in the specification the apparatus according tomy invention herein disclosed may be used either for projecting ortaking animated pictures. Wherever, therefore, any of the followingclaims are restricted in terms to a projecting apparatus, I intend .themto be construed so as to cover an apparatus for taking pictures as well.

As shown in Figs. 7 and 9 each plate frame 7 is provided withprojections 17 and notches 16, the projection of one plate being adaptedfor engagement with the notch 16 of the succeeding plate, so that as oneplate finally leaves the magazine the succeeding plate will be pressedinto operative engagement therewith by springs 11 and be pulled downwardso that eventually each plate will follow the other withoutinterruption, in such a manner that pictures may be taken or projectedduring a long period of time.

The operation is as follows: The plate magazine 9 is arranged in placeon the projection casing a, care being had that the slot 12 registerswith the slot 15, any convenient device being provided for insuring thecorrect position of the two casings and keeping them in this position.The tappet 14 is depressed to cause the first plate to descend with itsframe so that they occupy the position represented in Fig. 3. The prismt is then in front of the first picture of the lower row of this plate.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a moving picture machine the combination of a plate, an objective,means for bending a beam of light so as to pass through said plate andthrough said objective, and means for simultaneously moving said bendingmeans andsaid objective with reference to said plate.

2. In a moving picture machine the combination of a plate, an objective,means for bending a beam of light so as to pass through said plate andthrough said objective, and means for intermittently and simultaneouslymoving said bending means and said objective with reference to saidplate.

3. Ina moving picture machine the combination of a plate, an objective,means for bending a beam of light so as to pass through said plate andthrough said objective, means for intermittently and simultaneouslymoving said bending means and said objective with reference to saidplate, and means for intermittently interrupting the light beam as saidbending means and said objective are moved.

1. In a moving picture machine the combination of a plate, an objective,means for bending a beam of light so as to pass through said plate andthrough said objecand said objective in planes parallel to said late,and means for periodically interruptmg the light beam as said bendingmeans and said objective are moved.

6. In a moving picture machine the combination of a plate, an ob ectiveon one side of said plate, means on the other side of said plate forbending a beam of light so as to pass normally through the plate andobjective, and means for intermittently moving said bending means andsaid objective in planes parallel to the plate.

7. In a moving picture machine the combination of a plate, an objectiveon one side of said plate, means on the other side of said plate forbending a beam of light so as to pass normally through the plate andobjective, means for intermittently moving said bending means and saidobjective in planes parallel to the plate, and means for periodicallyinterrupting the light beam as said bending means and said objective aremoved.

8.6In a moving picture machine the combination of a plate, an objectiveon one side of said plate, means on the other side of said plate forbending a beam of light so as to pass through the plate, means forintermit-tently moving the objective With reference to the plate andmeans for directing said beam through said objective in each of itsseveral positions.

9. In a moving picture machine the combination of a plate, an objectiveadapted to be intermittently moved laterally, means for bending a beamof light so as to pass through predetermined regions of said plate andthrough said objective, and means for moving the plate vertically aftera series of intermittent lateral movements of the objcctive.

10. In a moving picture machine the combin ation of a plate, anobjective adapted to be intermittently moved laterally, means forbending a beam of light so as to paw through predetermined regions ofsaid plate and through said objective, and means for intermittentlymoving the plate vertically.

11. In a moving picture machine the combination of a plate, means forbending a beam of light corresponding to an image upon 'said plate, anobjective in the path of said beam between said bending means and saidplate and means for intermittently moving said objective and the bendingmeans parallel to said plate.

12. In a moving picture machine the combination of a plate, an objectiveadapted to r be moved parallel to said plate, a reflector fixed to andmovable with said objective and on the side of said objective remotefrom said plate and means forv intermittently moving said reflector andobjective parallel to said plate.

13. In a moving picture machine a plate, an objective on one side ofsaid plate adapted to be intermittently moved parallel thereto, means onthe other side of said plate for bending a beam of light so as to passthrough a predetermined region of said plate and through said objective,and means cooperating With said objective on the side of the objectiveremote from said plate to againbend the light beam.

14. In a moving picture machine, the combination of a plate, means forsending a beam oi light substantially parallel to said plate, and amovable optical system comprising means upon one side of said plate forintercepting and deflecting said beam normally through said plate andmeans upon the other'side of said plate for again bending the beamparallel to the plate and then forming a projected image and meansforsimultaneously. moving both of said means With reference to saidplate.

15. In a moving picture machine, the combination of a plate, means forsending a beam of light substantially parallel to said plate, and amovable optical system comprising means upon one side of said plate forintercepting and deflecting said beam normally through said plate andmeans upon the other side of said plate for again bend ing the beamparallel to-the plate and then forming a projected image and means forsimultaneously and intermittently moving both of said means Withreference to said plate.

16. In a moving picture machine the combination of a plate, an objectiveadapted to be moved intermittently parallel to the plate, and means forbending a beam of light emitted parallel to the plate so as to passnormally through the plate and the objective and then to retake itsoriginal direction so as to form a projected image in a plane at a rightangle to the plane of the plate.

17. In a cinematograph for projections, the combination of a picturecarrying surface, having a plurality of pictures thereon, adapted to beheld stationary during the projection of adjacent consecutive pictures,a source of light Which is relatively stationary and which is adapted toconcentrate a pencil of luminous rays parallel to the plane of saidsurface, an optical system for defleeting the light rays at right anglesto their original axis adapted to be moved parallel to said surface tosuccessively stand in front of each picture so as to have themsuccessively lighted at the right moment, and an optical system forsuccessively projecting the pictures as lighted which is adapted to hemoved in a. parallel direction on the other side of the picture surfacefor projecting the lighted pictures upon a plane at right angles to theline of displacement of the optical systems, said two optical systemsbeing adapted to be moved synchronously in the same direction.

18. In a cinematograph for projections, the combination of aperiodically stationary picture carrying surface, twooptical systems,one adapted to direct the required light upon each picture in successionand the other adapted to project the lighted pictures onto a screen atright angles to said surface, and means for moving the two opticalsystems synchronously in the same di rection, each in a different planeparallel to and on opposite sides of said picture carrying surface.

19. In a cinematograph, an optical system adapted to be moved afterprojecting each successive picture, a surface for carrying pictures,said surface being held stationary during the projection of adjacentconsecutive pictures in rows and means for moving said surfacetransversely of the rows after each row has been projected.

20. In a cinematograph, a picture carrying surface, a stationary sourceof light adapted by suitable means to direct a pencil of luminous raysparallel to said picture carrying surface, means adapted to interceptand deflect said rays so as to pass perpendicularly through said surfaceat any predetermined point along a strip of the surface parallel to saidpencil rays, means on the side of the picture carrying surface oppositefrom the source of light, located in line to receive the deflectedpencil of rays after passing through said surface and adapted to projectand again deflect said rays so that the axis thereof shall besubstantially parallel to the rays leaving the source of li ht, the axisof the doubly bent pencil of rays remaining at all times in the sameplane, means for intermittently moving the perpendicular portion of saidpencil of rays so that it will successively pass through adjacentportions of a strip of the picture carrying surface, and means formoving said picture carrying surface to suecessively bring adjacentstrips of said surface into the path of the perpendicular portion ofsaid pencil of rays.

21. In a cinematographic apparatus for projecting purposes, thecombination of a picture carrying surface held stationary during theprojection of adjacent consecutive pictures, an optical system adaptedto move along one side of said surface and illuminating means adapted tomove in synchronism with said optical system in the same plane and inthe same direction but on the gpposite side of the picture carryingsurace.

22. In a plate cinematograph, in which the plate is adapted to remainstationary during the projection of animated pictures upon a screenplaced perpendicularly to the plane of the plate, means for directing apencil of light perpendicularly through said plate, and projecting it onto said screen and means for intermittently moving the perpendicularportion of said pencil of light to pass successively through differentportions of said plate.

23. In a plate cinematograph, a case, tw cam screws having equal andinversely directed pitches, mounted for rotation in said case, acarriage adapted to support an obj ective, mounted to slide parallel tosaid cam screws and to the plate, a rod mounted on said carriage andadapted to alternately engage said cam screws, gears for simultaneouslyand continuously rotating said cam screws in one direction to move saidcarriage intermittently forward and back along the screws and means fordirecting light through regions of the plate corresponding to thevarious positions of the carriage.

24. In a plate cinematograph for projection purposes, the combination ofa frame carrying the objective and adapted to move over one surface ofthe plate, a frame which carries means for illuminating the pictures andis adapted to move over the opposite surface of the plate and means forsynchronously moving said frames over the respective surfaces.

25. In a moving picture machine, the combination of a plate, anobjective, means for intermittently moving said objective transverselyacross the face of said plate, means for bending a pencil of light,originally parallel to said plate so as to pass perpendicularly throughadjacent consecutive portions transversely of said plate and throughsaid objective, and means forintermittently moving said plate at rightangles to the plane of movement of said objective to bring adjacenttransverse strips of said plate into the field of said objective.

26. In a moving picture machine, the combination of a plate, a source oflight provided with a condenser for directing a pencil of light alongone side of and parallel to said plate, a screen for receivingprojectedpictures at right angles to the plane of said, plate, saidscreen, plate and condenser having fined positions relative to eachother, means on the condenser side of said plate for bending the pencilof light so as to pass perpendicularly through said plate, means on vthe other side of said plate for again bending and for projecting saidpencil of light on to said screen, and means for intermittently movingthe objective and bending means together with the perpendicular portionof the pencil of light widthwise of said plate toward and from saidscreen.

27. In a moving picture machine the combination of a plate adapted tocarry a plurality of horizontal rows of pictures, the pictures insuccessive rows being alternately progressively increasing in size andprogressively decreasing in size across the plate,

said plate being at right angles to the pic-- ture asprojected andoptical means for projecting said pictures, said optical meansbeingadapted to project such pictures so that the pro ections thereofare uniform in size.

28. In a moving picture machine the combination of a picture carryingplate adapted to be held stationary during the projection of adjacentconsecutive pictures, a screen at right angles to theplane of said platefor receiving the projected pictures, an objective movable along oneside of and parallel to said screen, a condenser on the other side ofsaid plate for directing a pencil of light parallel to said plate, meansin the path of said pencil of rays for deflecting the raysperpendicularly through said plate at predetermined points thereof andthrough said objective, means for intermittently moving saidobjectivevtoward and from said screen and means controlled by themovement of said objective for moving the deflecting means on theopposite side of said plate in the same direction and synchronously withSaid objective.

29. In a cinematographic apparatus for projecting animated pictures, thecombination of a plate and of an optical system comprising an objectiveand a reflector adapted to be intermittently moved in a plane which isparallel to saidplate for projecting picmy hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

GIANNI BETTINI.

Witnesses:

' H. C. Coxn,

J orm BAKER,

